Can anyone identify this component?

[Flooflox]

There is something attached to the resistor. It's from that electric blanket controller I was asking about earlier.

[vendettav]

aint it actually a socket?

[Meanderthal]

 Thermister? Diode? Parakeet leg band? Gotta see thru the shrinkwrap to know...

[pjwhite]

I'm guessing it's a crimp, used to attach the wire to the resistor leg, covered in heat-shrink tubing.

[digi2t]

I'm with Meanderthal... parakeet leg band seems more likely. 

[Brossman]

my guess is some kind of protection diode, as it is in series with the resistor...

[StereoKills]

Looks to me like it's probably a crimped connection covered in heat shrink.

Only one way to find out though. Take off the heat shrink.

[teemuk]

What function is the resistor and the mystery component perfroming in the circuit?

Is it a function needing a thermistor?

Is it a function needing a diode?

Is it a function needing something else?

...Or is it just a high voltage node needing a shrinkwrap insulation to leads of the resistor?  

[Flooflox]

Looks to me like it's probably a crimped connection covered in heat shrink.

Only one way to find out though. Take off the heat shrink.

Well, got out the utility knife and discovered it was indeed a crimped connection under there. Kinda felt like Geraldo Rivera opening up an empty Al Capone vault. 

[Earthscum]

Well, got out the utility knife and discovered it was indeed a crimped connection under there. Kinda felt like Geraldo Rivera opening up an empty Al Capone vault. 

Nicely put! Lol... Been there, for sure. Got myself all worked up over a shrink wrapped sloppy solder joint.